With Regret
by DerpyPredicaments
Summary: When a pony goes on a trip down memory lane, she cannot help but relive heartbreak.


**I could go into a bunch of blah blah blah here, but I rather not, so onward to the story!**

A hoof bumped an old box sitting upon a shelf. "Oh, gosh, I don't have the time to clean this up too! I have to leave in 15 minutes!" A glance at the box's contents strewn over the floor automatically changed her mind. Of course she couldn't just leave this scattered all over the floor after she worked so hard to finish up her spring cleaning. She knelt down next to the contents of the box and began to gather the contents toward herself. "I don't even remember what all I put in here," she muttered to herself as she sifted through all of the photos and papers. There were family pictures and class pictures and a few silly little doodles that she had drawn when she was just a filly. She laughed aloud at one particular self portrait in which her hooves looked like deadweights and her muzzle was just not a proportional size. "I couldn't draw as a filly; in fact, I still can't draw!"

She hastily threw every picture and paper into the box, paying little attention to anything she touched. One particular piece of parchment, though, grasped her attention.

Her name was written in a delicate print on the front. She recognized that hoofwriting. That writing had greeted her in many letters. She knew that writing. She unfolded the letter, and with a start, began reading the contents of the inside.

_Dearest,_

_ It is with great regret that I write this letter. Though it breaks my heart as much as it may yours, I must do this. Surely you must understand knowing the current circumstances. I love you, but I just can't carry on with someone with your condition. This letter will be the end of our correspondence. I can no longer be part of your life Carry on from this point with as much joy as you can. I know that is possible for you._

_ Sincerely,_

_ Earth Pine_

Tears welled up within her eyes. There was a reason she pushed _that name_ out of her mind. She thought of him as her strongest confidant, but he left as soon as she confided in him her darkest secret. He was selfish, and he wanted to avoid burden. She crumpled up the letter and threw it under her bed. She wasn't going to go back to that time; that time was dark. With joy, she had carried on, but it was a rough journey.

But she had to continue cleaning. She only had 8 minutes until the picnic.

Contempt, though, made her its target. The next paper was an official letter from the Foalton Physician's Group. It read:

_We regret to inform you that after the months of meticulous testing, a diagnosis explaining your mental state. The diagnosis we have reached is schizophrenia. We do believe, though, with effort and the support of your friends and family, it can be managed. Enclosed is a prescription for a management medication. When taken as prescribed, this medication can greatly reduce your symptoms. We at Foalton Physician's Group wholeheartedly believe that, with your sunny outlook on life, you can conquer anything. _

_ Best regards,_

_ Dr. Well Hooves_

Can conquer anything… It was true. She had tried to remain positive and cheery, and thankfully, the demons in her mind, for the most part, subsided. She didn't hear those strange voices as much these days. Her friends had kept her from going under, but she had refrained from telling them anything. She didn't want them to abandon her like the last time she had confided in someone.

Earth Pine, she believed, would stick with her no matter what. They had been friends since they were in school, and she thought that their relationship could withstand anything.

She had been wrong.

Though she tried to suppress them, memories came flooding into her mind. She remembered a hoof playfully twirling a curl. She remembered roaring laughter and beaming smiles. She remembered a soft body sleeping next to her under a moonlit sky. They were happy memories, memories that could automatically quench the demons in her mind, the demons that told her she was unwanted, unloved, unneeded. Earth Pine had made her feel loved and wanted. He made the demons seem unreal and insignificant. But when he sent that final letter, the demons came back in full force, telling her that she was undeserving of any love or kindness. They spoke to her, telling her that she was lucky that she had them as friends, for they were the only ones she would ever have. When she moved to Ponyville, she thought that she would be utterly alone, but the warm welcome she received filled her with a great happiness, and the friendships she had formed filled her with a light so bright that it drove the demons away.

She continued filing papers away into the box. She worked diligently until only two things were left. They were two pictures. One was of her and Earth Pine. They were grinning happily at the camera, a bouquet of roses sitting in front of the two of them. The second picture was of all of the friends she had met in Ponyville, the ones who were there for her, despite of her being a bit _off_ sometimes. They cared for her and brought a smile to her face every day. She placed the picture of Earth Pine back in the box, face down, and the picture of her friends on her bedside table.

"Pinkie, are you ready? I'm getting hungry!" Rainbow Dash called from outside of Sugarcube Corner.

"Just about, Dashie!" Pinkie Pie laughed happily, sticking her head out of the window. "Wait for me there while I chop up a lemon for the iced tea!"

"Don't worry, Pinkie, I won't leave."

**Ha, well that was extremely short. But, this is the result of my boredom. I just love Pinkie; not even Cupcakes has marred my perception of her. I wanted to make Pinkie a bit more of a, I dunno, dimensional character. Not all parties and laughter all of the time. And I had to put in my own reasoning for her slight insanity, as seen in Party of One. ****But friendship always prevails over hardships! Pinkie really does have reasons to smile. Huzzah! And, I do have a soft spot in my heart of Dash/Pinkie shipping, so therefore, I feel my ending is quite appropriate. ****So (loving and tolerant) reviews and whatnot. Smiles and Redvines- Sarah. **


End file.
